Today we’d like to introduce you to Megan Jackson.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Megan. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I came home from college one summer and the marketing research company my mom was working for had an opportunity for a paid internship. I was a finance manager with aspirations to work in insurance and employee benefits (exciting I know!) so this was simply a way to get downtown every day and to make a little money while I was home. Little did I know at the time that this would be the start of a very satisfying career in consumer insights.
My first job was at this same company with my mom in an office right down the hall. I spent 5 years there and then decided it was time to move on and broaden my experience. This new job was fantastic for the first few years, but after a buyout and significant management changes, the luster started to wear off. 5 years in I saw an opportunity to step out and to create a place where I (and hopefully others) were happy to go to work, where work-life balance was a priority and where everyone would feel they were being fairly rewarded for the company’s success. I also wanted the freedom to custom design research plans that were 100% about each individual client’s needs and objectives, totally stripping away any ‘this is how we’ve always done it’ mentality.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ha, definitely not!! Early on, everything was a challenge. I knew how to do research, but had no idea how to run a business. And we had literally nothing to work from. So I started tapping into resources…my uncle helped me build some spreadsheets to track the finances, a friend referred me to a friend who had a recommendation on an accountant, the accountant connected me with a lawyer, and on and on.
Starting out alone was also a challenge. I had gone from a team of 10 and an office of 40 to working out of my house with no one around except my 8 year old son. There were days that I found myself going to a fast food restaurant and choosing to go in vs go through the drive thru just so I could have some adult interaction! Aside from feeling isolated, it was also difficult to be motivated at times – I spent four months just trying to get someone to bite and to give us a chance. My confidence that this was a good and plausible idea was definitely dwindling more and more each day.
Now we’re five years in, and though different than what we experienced early on, there are new challenges and obstacles that pop up all the time (part of what keeps things interesting!!).
Early on in my career (at 24 years old), I took custody of and eventually adopted my nephew. I got married two years ago, but when I started the company, I was a single mom. A big part of what drove me to start my own thing was my desire to be home more and to be a more present parent. Ultimately not having to make a choice between being a good employee and a good parent, but instead, finding a way to make both work together.
Sparketing – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Sparketing is a marketing insights consultancy primarily focused on quantitative research with consumers. We custom design research programs for some of the largest companies in the world, helping brands with everything from defining their position in the market, identifying who their target is, innovating new product ideas, assessing customer satisfaction and loyalty, tracking effectiveness of advertising and helping design and optimize product packaging.
I’m proud of everything…our team, our culture, our client roster, and most important, the fantastic work we do for our clients.
In today’s world, so much emphasis is placed on technology-based opportunities. We make sure our team has the best tools at their disposal, but for us, it’s our brains and our thinking that set us apart. Per the emails below, our clients seem to agree…
“I really appreciate you presenting the deck to our Western Europe team today. You not only know your stuff but also the way you talk through the deck is understandable…trust me this is a rare talent.
There are only a few occasions in my career when I have asked the agency to present the deck, not because I don’t trust them but they rarely do a good job of presenting the insights in a strategic thoughtful way. I can trust you in front of my team…so thank you!”
“I just wanted to send a formal note of thanks for all of the hard work, quick responses, and overall flexibility. We ended up in a great place – in fact our SVP was remarking to me how he thinks you have really found a new, improved way to do brand tracking. We all collectively feel like we looked at our brands in fresh, unexpected ways that will ultimately drive both networks’ directions for years to come. And the survey design, data quality, and analysis were all top notch.”
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Hmmm…This one is tough. Maybe the day we moved into our office and I first saw the Sparketing name on the wall. It had become something real.
Contact Info:
- Address: 819 W Fulton Market #2
Chicago, IL 60607 - Website: www.spktg.com
- Email: megan@spktg.com
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
